Monday, March 10, 2014

Encoding Material- Chris Makowiecki

Digital fabrication is increasingly becoming an important
architectural tool as designers continue to seek new opportunities for the
production of their ideas. As the tools
become more available to architects, the potential for them to be used as
generative tools in the construction process continues to increase. However, before these tools can be used
effectively, the architect must realize how the material and fabrication
machine can create certain parameters and constraints along the way. With some sort of logic for the how the
machine can begin to maneuver within the physical realm, questions of physical
requirements can begin to ground the aspirations one may have visualized in the
virtual realm but have not tested in relation to things like gravity and
overall structural performance. It is
important for the architect to understand these complex interactions if this
type of machining data is to lend itself to actual construction processes. With an understanding of these parameters, the
control the fabrication tools give the architect over the construction process,
allows the architect control over the smallest of details. Such control is powerful and can be a source
for innovative design.